Cable-clamp.



r Patented Sept. I7, I90I. G. H. FDRSYTH.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. FORSYTH, OF CHICAGO, ILLIOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CURTAIN SUPPLY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE AND JERSEY CITY, NEV JERSEY.

CABLE-CLAM P.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,847, dated September 17', 1901.

Application led July 27, 1900. Serial No. 25,001. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ILFORSYTH, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable- Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is designed to provide a clamp of simple and economical construction which shall be efficient for holding a wire cord or other cable in such manner that the cable will not be permitted to slip, while the clamp is of such a construction ,that it can be easily released and the cable tensioned at will.

My invention is particularly designed for clamping the wire cord or cable which is used in that class of curtain-fixtures where cords or cables are made fast at diagonally opposite corners of a window-frame and their intermediate portions carried through a hollow shade stick or tube mounted upon the lower end of a spring-actu ated window-shade. The tension of these wire cables frequently has to be varied because of expansion or contraction, and they frequently have to be renewed, and hence it becomes desirable to provide a clamp which will enable these changes to be made quickly.

Myinvention consists in a clamping device two forms of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a section of cablecord having the clamp applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the cord or cable, the body of theclamp,and of a timber,the screw showing in elevation and in the entering position. Fig. 3 shows the screw fully engaged and the cable compressed, and Fig. 3 shows a modified form of screw. Fig.- 4 is a perspective view, approximately full size, of the clamping-plate; and Fig. 5 shows a modification thereof.

The clamping-plate, such as shown in Fig. 4, may be made from a strip of metal, brass or steel, doubled upon itself in substantially U form and, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, has a central slot 6, the tubular portions 7 adjacent to the slot being curved into approximately cylindrical form at one side and extending thence toward the open side of the clamping member in the form of body portions 8, arranged parallel to each other.

An integral spur or spurs 9 may be provided on the body member 8, which is intended to rest upon the wooden post 10 or other part to which the clamp is to be affixed. The clamping member may be suiiiciently elastic to permit it to be opened to receive the cable, which will rest within the tubular port-ions '7, and the slot Gis of such length as to admit freely the point of a screw l1. When the clamp is to be aixed to a wooden post, the screw 11 is an ordinary wood-screw. The cable may have the central cord or wire 12 wound with the tine wires 13, and these wires 13 being spirally wound and set in close Contact afford threads which will be engaged by the threads of the screw. As the screw is driven into its support it will engage also the walls of the metal plate, and as it is driven home will gradually expand the cable within the tubular portions, and the parts may be so proportioned that the cable will be defiected within the slot, as shown at 14. Vhile thus deflected, it will abut squarely against the inner edges of the tubular portion 7 and electually secure the cable to the clamp. The screw 11, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, serves the double function of holding the Ycable and of securing the clamp to its support; but the form of the clamp and of the screw may be considerably varied. Thus instead of employing the screw to hold the clamp to its support and also to deflect or indent the cable a separate screw may be used to fasten the clamp to its support, as indicated by the dotted lines 16 in Fig. 5. Furthermore, instead of the roundheaded screw shown for holding the cable a fiat-headed screw having its under surface tapered may be employed, as shown at 17, Fig. 3a. Such a screw will hold a cable of smaller .diameter than the round-headed screw 11, and thus cables of different diameters may be held by the same clamp by varying the size or form of the screw. When the clamp is to be attached to metal, the screw might take the form of a tapered bolt where it was desired to pass it through an aperture in the support, or of course the metal support might be taperedto receive a tapered screw.

Some of the numerous variations or modi- IOO cations of the principle of my clamp are shown in Fig. 5, wherein the clamping-plate is provided with circular apertures l5 instead of the elongated slot, such apertures being sufficiently large to permit the point of the screw to be entered at the side of the cable, and a separate screw (shown by the dotted lines 16) is passed through the lower member or leaf of the clamp for holding it to its support. Obviously for purposes of adjustment or renewal the clamp may be detached from its support in order to permit the cable to be readjusted, or the screw may be backed oif to permit the end of the cable to be threaded through the tubular opening of the clamping-plate. While I prefer to so arrange the parts that the body of the cable opposite the binding-screw will be deflected when the screw is fully engaged, yet if the parts be so arranged that the side of the cable in contact with the screw is indented, as shown in Fig. 5, or even if it be simply engaged with the threads of the screw and neither deiected nor indented, the cable will be held suiiciently tight to prevent its movement Within the clamp.

Without limiting myself, therefore, to the precise details of construction or proportions, I claiml. A cable-clamp, comprising in combination a clamping-plate doubled upon itself and. having registering apertures in combination with a member adapted to be inserted through the apertures of the plate and in contact with a cable and to engagea support, whereby the cable is clamped and the clamp is secured to its support, substantially as described.

2. A cable-clamp, comprising in combination a clamping-plate doubled upon itself and having registering apertures between its side margins and a binding-screw adapted to pass through said apertures into a support beneath, and to engage a cable inclosed within the clamping-plate, substantially as described.

3. A cable-clamp, comprising in combination a metal plate doubled upon itself and having its closed sidecut away transversely of the body of the plate, whereby to provide tubular seats for the reception of the cable and to ad mit a binding-screw and a screw having a tapering, threaded body adapted to pass through said 4slot intoasupport beneath and to bend or deflect said cable between its tubular supports, substantially as described.

4. A cable-clamp composed of an elastic metal plate doubled upon itself and one of its parts being provided with an integral spur and having the central portion of its body cut away, in combination with'a screw having a tapered threaded stem adapted to enter through the base portion of the slot formed by cutting away the kclamping-plate and affording means for clamping the cable and for securing the clamp to its support, substantially as described.

GEORGE H. FORSYTH.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK C. GOODWIN, ADA H. BARNES. 

